Our invention relates generally to data storage systems employing magnetic disks for reading and/or writing data thereon, and more specifically to an apparatus comprising a stacked array of rigid magnetic disks in combination with transducers or heads for data transfer with one or both sides of each disk. Still more specifically, our invention pertains to a device for supporting the heads in such data transfer systems, and to a method of assembling the head supporting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,748 to Ho suggests a typical conventional head supporting device for use in a random access data storage system having a stack of spaced magnetic disks. Essentially, it teaches the mounting of individual head on spring arms which in turn are mounted to inflexible extension arms. These extension arms are separated by spacers and interconnected by mounting bolts between a pair of brackets.
We object to the above and other comparable prior art head support assemblies because, first of all, the spring arms carryig the magnetic heads are supported by separate parts which are rigidly interconnected. In the case of the Ho patent, the spring arms are affixed to the separate rigid extension arms which are bolted together via the intervening spacers. The assemblage of such conventional devices has therefore been troublesome and time consuming. Further, being supported by the separate means, the heads have been susceptible to different degrees of thermal offtracking. This weakness has so far been overcome only by applying thermal stresses to the head support assembly for a certain length of time.